A blockchain-based access control system for cloud storage

Abstract

In this paper, we present a prototype of multi-user system for access control to datasets stored in an untrusted cloud environment. Cloud storage like any other untrusted environment needs the ability to secure share information. Our approach provides an access control over the data stored in the cloud without the provider participation. The main tool of access control mechanism is ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption scheme with dynamic attributes. Using a blockchain-based decentralized ledger, our system provides immutable log of all meaningful security events, such as key generation, access policy assignment, change or revocation, access request. We propose a set of cryptographic protocols ensuring privacy of cryptographic operations requiring secret or private keys. Only ciphertexts of hash codes are transferred through the blockchain ledger. The prototype of our system is implemented using smart contracts and tested on Ethereum blockchain platform.